The way your supermarket is set up is no accident. Like any smart retailer, they put the products they want to move quickly way up front. Nevermind that those products-sweets; processed foods and beverages; sugar-laden cereals-may not actually be the best ones for you.

So what is a savvy shopper to do? Stay focused by making a checklist of the healthy foods you should always be sure to have in your shopping cart. Here are some places to start:

Nuts and seeds: Think sunflower, pumpkin or sesame seeds that you can sprinkle over some yogurt or a salad, or even grind up and use as part of a coating for an oven-fried dish. These seeds are a great source of omega-6 fatty acids, which help protect the immune system. Nuts, full of omega-3s, such as pistachios and pine nuts, are fantastic used in trail mix, or roasted and mixed with dried fruits in cooked brown rice.

Quality fats: Make extra virgin olive oil your cooking oil of choice and stick to sautéeing instead of frying. Or if you must fry your foods, consider using unrefined coconut oil, which has beneficial lauric acid-the same antimicrobial element found in mother's milk when breastfeeding.

Beans and legumes: Beans and legumes such as black-eyed peas and lentils are a great source of protein, as well as calcium, iron, niacin and folic acid. Even better: they're high in fiber. Consider using them in salads and stews as well as serving them as a side dish.

Whole grains: By now you've heard all about the benefits of whole grains but it bears repeating: consuming whole grains lowers your risk of many chronic diseases including type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Opt for brown breads instead of white; switch to brown basmati rice instead of white; try out new grains that may be unfamiliar to you-quinoa; amaranth; millet-that are chockfull of healthy amino acids.

Fresh fruits and vegetables: Not only are they a great source of soluble fiber, vitamins and antioxidants, but they are also whole foods, meaning a food you can consume in its entirety. Start by keeping a piece of fruit on your desk, in your work bag, or in your car, so that you'll reach for that instead of taking a trip to the vending machine or grabbing some fast food on the go. Buy some spring mix that you can use to make simple salads, or even sauté in a pan with some garlic and seasonings. And choose from the rainbow, meaning mix it up! Buy a variety of vegetables and fruits of different colors and you'll be sure to get the best balance of nutrients. (Visit http://www.cancerproject.org/resources/pdfs/2006RainbowPoster.pdf for a great set of guidelines to get you started.)

If these five food groups aren't already a part of your repertoire, don't be intimidated: you can start small. Try purchasing one new item from each group every time you shop. Or, before you head to the store, surf your favorite search engine and type in an ingredient you want to try out (i.e. "pine nuts and dried fruits recipes"). You'll be amazed how many interesting dishes will pop up in the search results. You can then use that recipe as an ingredient checklist to creating a fantastic dish. Before you know it, you'll be experimenting and improvising exciting meals like a pro.